Mandevilla plant named ‘Sophia’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Mandevilla  plant named ‘Sophia’, characterized by its compact, upright and mounding plant habit; strong stems; early and freely flowering habit; and large bright crimson red-colored flowers.

Botanical designation: Mandevilla hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SOPHIA’.

CROSS-REFERENCED TO CLOSELY-RELATED APPLICATIONS

Title: Mandevilla Plant Named ‘Vivian’

Applicant: Graham Noel Brown

Filed: Concurrently with this application (U.S. patent application Ser.No. 12/927,776)

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofMandevilla plant, botanically known as Mandevilla hybrida andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Sophia’.

The new Mandevilla plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Pennant Hills, New South Wales, Australia.The objective of the breeding program is to create new shrub-typeMandevilla plants with strong stems and numerous attractive flowers.

The new Mandevilla plant originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in Pennant Hills, New South Wales, Australia in December, 2003,of a proprietary selection of Mandevilla hybrida identified as codenumber X02.5, not patented, as the female, or seed parent withMandevilla hybrida ‘Sunmandecrim’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.15,539, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Mandevilla plant wasdiscovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant fromwithin the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlledgreenhouse environment in Macquarie Fields, New South Wales, Australiain November, 2005.

Asexual reproduction of the new Mandevilla plant by cuttings inMacquarie Fields, New South Wales, Australia, since December, 2005, hasshown that the unique features of this new Mandevilla plant are stableand reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Mandevilla have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in cultural practices and environment such as temperature andlight intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Sophia’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Sophia’ as a new and distinct Mandevilla plant:

-   -   1. Compact, upright and mounding plant habit.    -   2. Strong stems.    -   3. Early and freely flowering habit.    -   4. Large bright crimson red-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Mandevilla can be compared to plants of the femaleparent selection. Plants of the new Mandevilla differ from plants of thefemale parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Mandevilla are more upright than and not as        vining as plants of the female parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Mandevilla flower earlier than plants of        the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Mandevilla can be compared to plants of the maleparent, ‘Sunmandecrim’. Plants of the new Mandevilla differ from plantsof ‘Sunmandecrim’in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Mandevilla are more compact than plants of        ‘Sunmandecrim’.    -   2. Plants of the new Mandevilla have thicker stems than plants        of ‘Sunmandecrim’.

Plants of the new Mandevilla can be compared to plants of Mandevillahybrida ‘Vivian’, disclosed in a U.S. Plant Patent application filedconcurrently with this application. Plants of the new Mandevilla differprimarily from plants of ‘Vivian’ in flower color as plants of ‘Vivian’have red purple-colored flowers. In addition, plants of the newMandevilla are more compact and have shorter internodes than plants of‘Vivian’.

Plants of the new Mandevilla can also be compared to plants ofMandevilla sanderi ‘Fisrix Dered’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.20,714. Plants of the new Mandevilla differ primarily from plants of‘Fisrix Dered’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Mandevilla are more compact than plants of        ‘Fisrix Dered’.    -   2. Plants of the new Mandevilla have thicker stems than plants        of ‘Fisrix Dered’.    -   3. Plants of the new Mandevilla have larger flowers than plants        of ‘Fisrix Dered’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Mandevilla plant showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe actual colors of the new Mandevilla plant.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspectiveview of a typical flowering plant of ‘Sophia’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of a typicalflowering plant of ‘Sophia’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown in one-gallon containers during thesummer in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse in Bonsall, Calif. undercommercial production cultural practices. During the production of theplants, day temperatures ranged from 20° C. to 29.4° C., nighttemperatures ranged from 15.6° C. to 21.1° C. and light levels rangedfrom 5,000 to 8,000 foot-candles. Plants were pinched four times andwere six months old when the photographs and description were taken. Inthe following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Mandevilla hybrida ‘Sophia’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Mandevilla            hybrida identified as code number X02.5, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Mandevilla hybrida ‘Sunmandecrim’,            disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,539.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By cuttings.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About one month.        -   Root description.—Fleshy, thick; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Moderate branching; medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact, upright and mounding plant            habit; vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 30 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 32 cm.        -   Lateral branch description.—Branching habit: Freely            branching habit with about five primary lateral branches per            plant; primary laterals with secondary laterals; pinching            enhances lateral branch development. Length: About 19 cm.            Diameter: About 3 mm. Internode length: About 1.5 cm to            2.5 cm. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous; woody            with development. Color, young: Close to 144A. Color, woody:            Close to 199A.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.        -   Length.—About 6.3 cm.        -   Width.—About 4.5 cm.        -   Shape.—Elliptical.        -   Apex.—Acuminate.        -   Base.—Obtuse.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous;            leathery.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate, arcuate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Brighter green than            137A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 146B. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to N137D; venation,            close to 144A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close            to 146B; venation, close to 147C.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 1.3 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,            upper surface: Close to 147C. Color, lower surface: Close to            146D.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and habit.—Salverform flowers arranged in            terminal and axillary clusters; flowers face upright or            outwardly; freely flowering habit, about three flowers per            cluster and about 20 open flowers and flower buds develop            per plant.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower continuously            year-round in the greenhouse and outdoors in Southern            California.        -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About five to seven days;            flowers persistent.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Flowers.—Appearance: Funnelform with five-parted fused            corolla; flowers roughly star-shaped. Diameter: About 7 cm.            Depth (length): About 7.5 cm. Throat diameter: About 1.6 cm.            Tube length: About 6 cm. Tube diameter, at the base: About 5            mm.        -   Flower buds.—Height: About 7.4 cm. Diameter: About 1.4 cm.            Shape: Elongated oblong. Color: Towards the apex, close to            183A; mid-section, close to 185A; towards the base, close to            145C.        -   Corolla.—Arrangement/appearance: Single whorl of five            petals, fused into flared trumpet; petals imbricate with            reflexed apices. Petal lobe length: About 3 cm. Petal lobe            width: About 2.8 cm. Petal lobe shape: Roughly ovate,            asymmetrical. Petal apex: Acute, reflexing. Petal margin:            Entire, slightly sinuate. Petal texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Throat texture: Smooth,            glabrous. Tube texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Petal lobe,            when opening, upper surface: Slightly brighter than 183B.            Petal lobe, when opening, lower surface: Close to 183C.            Petal lobe, fully opened, upper surface: Close to 53A;            venation, close to 53A. Petal lobe, fully opened, lower            surface: Close to 46A; venation, close to 46A. Throat: Close            to N172B; venation, close to N172B. Tube: Close to 60B;            venation, close to 60D.        -   Sepals.—Arrangement/appearance: Five per flower fused in a            single whorl. Calyx length: About 1.3 cm. Calyx diameter:            About 5 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acuminate. Margin:            Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.            Color, inner surface: Close to 145B to 145C. Color, outer            surface: Close to 145B.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 3.2 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Strength: Strong, flexible.            Aspect: About 45° from stem axis. Color: Close to 145A.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 1.2 cm to 2.3 cm. Diameter: About            2.5 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Strength: Strong,            flexible. Aspect: About 45° from peduncle axis. Color: Close            to 145A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically            five. Filament length: About 3 mm. Filament color: Close to            150D. Anther shape: Narrowly oblong. Anther length: About 9            mm Anther color: Close to 18B. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen            color: Close to 4D. Pistils: Quantity per flower: Typically            one. Pistil length: About 2.4 cm. Stigma shape: Rounded;            five-lobed. Stigma color: Close to 144A. Style length: About            1.3 cm. Style color: Close to 145C. Ovary color: Close to            146B.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Mandevilla have not been    noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Mandevilla.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Mandevilla have been    observed to tolerate temperatures from about 2° C. to about 35° C.

1. A new and distinct Mandevilla plant named ‘Sophia’ as illustrated and described. 